Unexpectedly Extended
by rhiannamcmahon
Summary: sequel to 'Are You Ready"... a simple trip has drastic consequences...


Unexpectedly Extended  
  
by: Rhiannon  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing mine here except the original characters and the idea.... All other belongs to TPTB  
  
*** Well, I really don't think I can choose a title or get an idea off the ground without AJ around to prod me... All props to AJ for the never- failing help... This story picks up a couple months after 'Are You Ready?' ended...***  
  
Jed stood in the doorway of his bathroom looking at his wife, "But why?"  
  
Abbey rolled her eyes, "Jed, we've been through this about eighteen hundred times this week! When are you going to give it up?"  
  
"When you cancel the trip!" Jed exclaimed. "I just got back from a trip for two weeks... You were gone for three weeks before that! And now, you're off on another trip! I never get to see you anymore. I'm beginning to forget what it's like to have you sleep in the same bed with me!"  
  
"Jed, stop it!" Abbey exclaimed. "You know there's no way around this trip. I couldn't get out of it if I wanted to... And I don't, by the way."  
  
"What the hell are you going for anyway?"  
  
Abbey looked at him, "Do you really want me to answer that?"  
  
"NO!" Jed exclaimed walking back into the bedroom, muttering under his breath.  
  
Abbey shook her head ... so he was going to pout and be a baby... Fine ... let him sit on the couch all night long and throw his temper tantrum... She was going to sleep tonight. When Abbey walked into the bedroom, Jed was exactly where she thought he'd be... He was sitting on the couch like a bullfrog.  
  
"Are you going to sit there all night?" Abbey asked, vaguely amused.  
  
Jed growled at her, "Maybe."  
  
"Fine. Goodnight, then." Abbey said, crawling under the covers. She reached over and turned off the light.  
  
Jed sat on the couch, hoping his antics would get her to cancel the stupid trip... But he knew better. He knew all this was doing was making him look like a very large, spoiled child. He sighed ... he would get no where with her acting like this.  
  
Abbey couldn't help but smile as she felt Jed crawl into bed next to her. She rolled over and faced him, "You're a big baby, you know that?"  
  
Jed ignored her, "Are you taking the boys?"  
  
"No, Marrah and the boys are staying here." Abbey shook her head. She took a deep breath, "I won't be gone that long..."  
  
"I know," Jed said, pulling her into his arms. "It's just frustrating sometimes ... that's all."  
  
"I know." Abbey said, planting a kiss on his chest. "I love you."  
  
"I love you." Jed said, kissing her gently. "You know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"When you and Jennifer get back, I'm going to make her and Zoey take the twins. I'm going to take the afternoon off," Jed said as his hands began to roam. "And you and I are going to have some very special time all to ourselves."  
  
Abbey shivered from his touch, "I can hardly wait."  
  
"Why wait? We've got time for a preview..." Jed said, pulling her to him for a kiss.  
  
** Jennifer stood in her office, making sure her mother's and her travel plans were complete... She sighed, this was her first important trip with her mother as her mother's Chief of Staff and she prayed everything would go smoothly.  
  
"Hey, Patrick!" she called.  
  
Moments later, her aide appeared at the door, "Whatcha need, Jenn?"  
  
"Is my mother ready yet?"  
  
"Not yet, last time I heard from Charlie, the President and First Lady had yet to leave their room." Patrick said.  
  
Jennifer turned, "Are they up?"  
  
"Yes, I believe Charlie said something about having committed a federal offense ... do you know what that means?"  
  
Jennifer rolled her eyes as she turned back to her desk, "Yeah, it means Charlie woke my dad up," she shook her head. "Patrick do me a favor, grab the copy of my mom's itinerary and bring it in here... I want to look over it again."  
  
Patrick, fully aware of how nervous his boss was, nodded, "I'll be right back."  
  
Jennifer nodded and opened her laptop. She typed a few notes into it as she waited for Patrick. She glanced at her watch, "Patrick, it's been five minutes, please tell me you've been able to find it in that amount of time."  
  
"Yeah ... he found it. I just wouldn't let him come in."  
  
Jennifer whirled around, startled by the voice behind her. She let out a deep breath, "Ziegler, I'm going to strangle you! Don't do that again!"  
  
Toby smirked at her, "Fine, then I'll be on my way Bartlet." He started for the door, but Jennifer reached out suddenly and grabbed his arm. He glanced at her, "Ah, you want me to stay?"  
  
"No, I'm just grabbing your arm for the hell of it." Jennifer responded, dryly.  
  
"Well, then-" Toby started for the door again. But Jennifer jumped in his way and slammed the door. Toby saw her hand reach behind her back and turn the lock. "Locking me in here, huh?"  
  
"Yes, if you don't mind."  
  
Toby pretended to think about it, "Hmmm... well, I'm going to have to think about that one... I can't just make a decision off the bat like-"  
  
Toby was stopped mid-sentence by Jennifer's lips on his. He wrapped his arms around her and backed her up against the door. Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt him lean into her.  
  
When they finally broke the kiss, they stood rooted in their places resting their bodies against one another.  
  
"Have you told the Princess bye?" Toby whispered in her ear.  
  
Jennifer nodded against him, "Yeah ... before she went to school this morning... You're not going to forget to pick her up from kindergarten this afternoon, are you?"  
  
"No, I'm not going to forget."  
  
"Are you sure? I always pick her up... I don't want the Service to ... you won't forget?"  
  
Toby looked in her eye, "Will you stop? I told you last night I wouldn't forget... I will be at her school at three o'clock and I will put her in my car and we will drive back here and she will stay in my office until the  
  
President comes to get her for the night... This will be the routine until you get back and I swear to you that if you call me just once to ask me if I'm going to forget Marrah, I will-"  
  
"Okay," Jennifer said, smoothly interrupting him. "Is it okay to call you for other reasons?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like... I forget to turn off the water in the bathroom faucet... I leave a light on in my closet..." Jennifer trailed off at the unamused look on his face. She smiled, "Or if I just happen to miss you?"  
  
"For that, yes. You may call me and tell me how much you miss me." Toby nodded. "I will take that call."  
  
"I bet you will," she grinned as he leaned in for another kiss.  
  
They both jumped when someone knocked on the door. "Jennifer?" came the voice from outside.  
  
"Yes, Mom?"  
  
"Stop making out with Toby and get out here. We've got a plane to catch." Abbey responded.  
  
"Yes, ma'am." Jennifer groaned. She leaned into Toby for a second longer, "Okay, let's go."  
  
Toby kissed the back of her head and Jennifer unlocked the door and opened it.  
  
** Jennifer sat on the plane, flipping through the stack of reports that needed her attention... She hated paperwork. She had hated it at the camp and had routinely shoved it off on other unsuspecting victims... Well, turn about was fair play, she couldn't shove any of this off on anyone.  
  
Jennifer looked up as her mother sat down beside her, "Hey Mom."  
  
"Hey Munchkin, what are you doing?"  
  
"Your paperwork." Jennifer said, giving her mother a pointed look. Jennifer shook her head at her mother's grin, "So, why were you so late? Did you have late night?"  
  
Abbey gave her daughter a warning glance, "I could ask you a question along the same lines, little girl."  
  
Jennifer looked at her mother with big eyes, "Hey, I was in my office on time this morning, packed and ready to go... I just happened to have some spare time, that's all."  
  
Abbey suppressed at laugh, "Cute Jennifer Erin, very cute."  
  
"Thanks, I thought so." Jennifer said.  
  
"So, how are things with you and Toby?" Abbey prompted.  
  
"Fine." Jennifer said, slowly.  
  
"Is that all? Just fine?"  
  
"Mom, tell me about your first date with Dad." Jennifer said suddenly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Tell me about your first date with Dad." Jennifer repeated.  
  
"You're just trying to get out of talking about you and Toby, aren't you?"  
  
"Is it going to work?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then, yes." Jennifer replied. "I am."  
  
Abbey made a face, "Fine... On the first, official date your Dad and I had I almost killed him ... literally."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I almost ran him over with my car." Abbey said, smiling at the memory.  
  
"You almost what?" Jennifer questioned, incredulously.  
  
Abbey laughed, "Your Dad was late... I waited an hour for him to get to the restaurant and I finally left. I walked out to my car and started to pull away... Your Dad jumped in front of it and I just about hit him... Scared me to death, when I got out of the car I almost killed him."  
  
Jennifer smiled, "You and Dad love each other a lot, don't you?"  
  
Abbey graced her daughter with a bright smile, "The most important person in my life is your father... He's the reason for everything I do and everything I have..."  
  
"I hope ... that I can have a relationship like that one day." Jennifer said, quietly.  
  
Abbey reached over and lifted her daughter's chin, "I think you already do..."  
  
"Mom..."  
  
"It got off to a rocky start, yes." Abbey said. "But ... who makes you so mad you're ready to strangle them at a moments notice sometimes? Who makes your blood boil?"  
  
"Toby."  
  
"Who knows how to make you smile at a moments notice?"  
  
"Toby."  
  
"Who's always there to catch you if you think you're about to fall?"  
  
"Toby." Jennifer repeated.  
  
Abbey smiled at her, "We just described my relationship with your Dad."  
  
Jennifer gave her mom an almost shy grin, "I love you Mom."  
  
"And I love you Munchkin."  
  
** If anyone had told Jed Bartlet four years ago that he would be playing on the floor of the Oval Office with his sons, he would have laughed them out the door... But here he was, on his hands and knees, chasing his boys around the couches.  
  
Chase squealed in delight as his father came after him. Matthew grinned from ear to ear as he followed his brother around the couch.  
  
Jed snuck around to one end of the couch and caught them both as they ran around the corner. The boys giggled and laughed in their father's arms. Jed, himself, laughed as he held his boys close.  
  
Chase wiggled out of his father's arms and scooted around to his back. Chase climbed on his father's back as Matthew stayed quietly in Jed's arms.  
  
It was then that the Oval Office doors opened and the senior staff flooded in. Jed looked up with a grin. Matthew smiled shyly at them. Chase jumped off his father's back and flung himself at Josh.  
  
Josh, always prepared for Hurricane Chase, caught the little boy with ease and turned him upside down in the air.  
  
Jed laughed as he motioned for his staff to take a seat. Jed leaned on the top of his desk with Matthew in his arms, "What's up?"  
  
"The First Lady and Jennifer's plane took off this morning on schedule, sir. They should reach their destination sometime tonight." Leo said.  
  
"Cool." Jed nodded. "What going on with our friends on the hill?"  
  
"Well, sir-" Sam began.  
  
"Chase!" Jed said, loudly interrupting him. "Stop!"  
  
Everyone turned and found the freckled faced boy trying to pull himself up by the doorknob. Chase turned to them and grinned, "Orry."  
  
"You were saying, Sam?" Jed prodded.  
  
"Yes, sir, it seems that if we-"  
  
"Chase!" Jed exclaimed once more. This time his son was pulling books out of the bookcase and spreading them on the floor. As soon as his son moved away from the bookcase, Jed turned to Sam, "Is this something that you can tell me about later when my son isn't trying to destroy my office?"  
  
"It can wait, sir."  
  
"Cool." Jed turned to his Press Secretary. "CJ?"  
  
"Nothing going on with the press ... for once." CJ said.  
  
"You ain't kidding." Jed replied. "Anything else?"  
  
Every head shook. Jed nodded, "Cool, then go earn your paychecks." Jed looked up, remembering something as his staff filed out, "Toby?"  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"You have to pick up Marrah today, remember?"  
  
"She told you to remind me, didn't she?" Toby asked.  
  
Jed only smirked in response, "Welcome to the wonderful world of Bartlet women, Toby."  
  
Toby grimaced, "Thank you sir, but I believe I've been here several times before."  
  
** Jennifer and Abbey walked through the halls of the Embassy. Jennifer looked around the stiff and formal walls, feeling uncomfortable at once. She spared her mother a quick glance, "Is it always this stiff in these places?"  
  
Abbey nodded, "Yes, that's why I made you change your clothes."  
  
Jennifer glanced down at her proper business suit with distaste, "What a bunch of tight asses."  
  
Abbey gave her daughter a warning glance, "Watch your tongue, Little Jed."  
  
Jennifer grimaced at her mother's favorite childhood nickname, "Must you call me that?"  
  
"Must you always act like your father?" Abbey countered with her own question.  
  
"Point taken." Jennifer conceded, tugging at the itchy collar around her neck.  
  
Abbey glanced over at her daughter. She had to resist the urge to slap Jennifer's hand down away from her collar, "Jennifer Erin, stop."  
  
"But it's itchy." Jennifer replied.  
  
"I know it's itchy." Abbey replied. "Stop thinking about it and you'll forget about it."  
  
"What am I supposed to think about?"  
  
"You could try ... this trip!" Abbey replied.  
  
Jennifer opened her mouth, but before she could respond, the sound of explosions ripped through the air in the building.  
  
** "Leo!" Margaret said, standing in the doorway of his office.  
  
Leo looked up and immediately knew something was wrong, "What?"  
  
"Ron Butterfield is here to see you." Margaret replied, a worried frown creasing her face.  
  
Leo looked back at her for a long moment. Then he nodded, "Send him in."  
  
Leo stood and walked around his desk as Ron Butterfield walked into the room, "What can I do for you, Ron?"  
  
"We have a problem, Mr. McGarry." ~~~ Leo stood outside Jed's office door... He felt like he'd been punched in the stomach... He wanted to be sick.... He couldn't do this.... He couldn't go in there and tell his best friend that his wife and daughter might be...  
  
Leo took a deep breath and gave the door a quick knock before walking in, "Mr. President?"  
  
Jed looked up at him cheerily, "What's up, Leo?"  
  
Leo looked around the room, "Where are the boys?"  
  
"They're taking a nap," Jed replied.  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"Leo what's wrong, you look like you're going to be sick all over my carpet." Jed asked, worriedly.  
  
"Ron Butterfield was just in my office, sir."  
  
Jed froze in place, "What?"  
  
Leo let out a shaky breath, "The Embassy where Abbey and Jennifer were supposed to be was bombed by terrorists an hour ago."  
  
Jed remained perfectly still, "Were they there?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. President." Leo replied.  
  
"Are they okay?"  
  
Leo closed his eyes ... he didn't want to tell Jed this...  
  
"Leo?!" Jed asked again, his voice rising up a degree as panic began to set in. "Are they okay?"  
  
"We don't know."  
  
"What do you mean, we don't know?" Jed demanded, rising from his chair. "Where the hell are they?"  
  
"Officials there are searching the remains of the building for possible survivors as well as for bod-" Leo cut off, unable to finish the sentence.  
  
Jed closed his eyes. He seemed to sag down against the desk, "They have to be okay, Leo... They have to be."  
  
Leo nodded, "Yes, sir."  
  
** Toby parked his car in the school parking lot and got out of the car. He walked across the parking lot and into the school. He walked to where he knew Marrah's class would be waiting to be picked up.  
  
He walked into the room and Marrah immediately flew into his arms, "Toby!!"  
  
"Hello Princess," Toby greeted her, lifting her up in his arms. "Good day today?"  
  
"Yep!" Marrah replied.  
  
Toby nodded his approval and went to sign her out of class, "Hello, I'm Toby Ziegler, I believe Jennifer Bartlet made arrangements to have me pick up Marrah Bartlet."  
  
The teacher looked up, "You're on time, Mr. Ziegler!"  
  
"Yes," Toby responded. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"Well... Ms. Bartlet said you might be running several minutes late..." the young woman trailed off.  
  
"I'm gonna kill her..." Toby muttered under his breath. He looked back at the teacher, "Can I sign her out?"  
  
"Yes, of course," the teacher handed him a book and Toby signed his name quickly.  
  
"Guess what Toby!" Marrah said, as they walked out of the school  
  
"What?"  
  
"I drew a picture for you and Mommy." Marrah responded.  
  
"You did?" Toby asked, helping her climb into his car. He walked to the other side and got in.  
  
"Yeah, wanna see it?"  
  
"Very much."  
  
Marrah reached into her backpack and pulled out two pictures, "This is me," she said pointing to a small, blonde figure. "That's you ... you don't have any hair."  
  
"Thanks for pointing that out, Princess."  
  
"You're welcome." Marrah replied. "And this is Mommy."  
  
"I see that, very nice."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"And, just where are we in your picture?" Toby asked, as he drove along.  
  
"In front of our house." Marrah replied.  
  
"Marrah, we don't have a house." Toby said. "You and your mommy live at the White House with your grandparents and I live in an apartment."  
  
"I know, but you and Mommy are going to get married and we'll live in a house." Marrah said, turning her big blue eyes on him.  
  
Toby looked over at her, "Why do you think your mommy and I are going to get married?"  
  
"Cause everyone says you love each other and I think so too." Marrah said very knowingly. "So, you will."  
  
Toby shook his head as they drove through the city. ~~~ Toby and Marrah walked through the halls of the West Wing and Toby immediately sensed that something was wrong. He picked the little girl up and made his way to Leo's office.  
  
Leo was waiting for him, "Toby."  
  
"What's going on, Leo?"  
  
"Hi, Leo!" Marrah called out.  
  
"Hey Baby," Leo said to the little girl. He turned to Toby, "The President wants to see you in the Oval Office... It's about the First Lady and her Chief of Staff..."  
  
Toby got the message. He nodded and set Marrah down, "Marrah, why don't you stay here with Leo and Margaret for a while? I'm going to go talk to your Grandpa for a few minutes..."  
  
"Okay," Marrah said, running off to find Margaret.  
  
"Is this bad?" Toby asked when Marrah was out of earshot.  
  
"Yeah," was the answer.  
  
"How bad?"  
  
"As bad as it gets." Leo replied.  
  
"Okay," Toby muttered as he walked toward the Oval Office.  
  
** Jennifer stirred slightly as she entered into consciousness. There was a stinging pain in her stomach; she reached to feel the place and felt the sticky wetness of blood... Damn, she thought.  
  
She cradled her head in her hands as she worked up the nerve to open her eyes. Very slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around her.  
  
She was in a basement of some kind... Her mother ... where was her mother?!  
  
"Jennifer," a soft voice called to her.  
  
Jennifer spun around quickly and regretted the movement almost at once, "Mom?" she closed her eyes to regain her sense of balance.  
  
"I'm here, Baby." Abbey said as Jennifer inched her way to her.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"We're in the basement of the Embassy," Abbey told her quietly. "Along with fifteen others..."  
  
"Where's Tim?" Jennifer asked immediately.  
  
Abbey shifted her eyes of to her daughter's Secret Service Agent. Jennifer followed her mother's gaze. Tim was laying on his back. One arm was tied behind to a pole. The other arm was dangling at an unnatural position. Jennifer reached out to him, "Tim?"  
  
The black haired man opened his eyes, "Jennifer ... are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine," Jennifer said, electing not to share the true nature of her injuries. "Just kinda scratched up a bit... What about you? Where are you hurt?"  
  
"Broken arm... I believe my ankle is broken as well." Tim lowered his voice. "Your mother took the brunt of the explosion, she has tended to everyone in here. I don't think she's seen about herself, though..."  
  
Jennifer nodded, "Okay... What happened to the rest of the agents?"  
  
"Dead."  
  
Jennifer closed her eyes, "Okay ... have we met the people responsible?"  
  
Tim opened his mouth to respond, but the opening of a door closed it immediately.  
  
Jennifer turned around to see five men walking towards them. ~~~ "Well, well, well," a big man said, walking to them. "The Queen and Princess of the United States of hypocrites are awake... How lovely... I hope you are finding your accommodations acceptable."  
  
Jennifer sucked in a breath to speak, but a quick look from her mother silenced her at once.  
  
"We're so pleased that you are joining us," He continued. "Especially you, Mrs. Bartlet," he said, walking over to Abbey. "You're something of an icon here ... giving proof positive that a woman can 'do' anything ... or should I say anybody at any age."  
  
Abbey sat, calmly staring past him as if she was in a world to herself.  
  
Jennifer felt her cheeks get hot as she listened to the man. She turned to Tim and shared an unnerving look with the man who was sworn to protect her.  
  
The man laughed, "We're going to get very well acquainted before this is over, I think..." He turned to the other's in the room, "You've all been chosen because you're all Americans... You're all represented by this woman's husband ... therefore you're all of use to me... Providing you remain good little Americans and stay out of trouble. If President Bartlet does as I ask him to do, then all of you will see your home soil very soon... If not ... then..."  
  
Unable to bite her tongue any longer Jennifer spoke, "What, exactly are you asking of him?"  
  
The man turned to her, "Jennifer Bartlet ... the spitfire of the Bartlet family... Well, my little one, I plan to respectfully ask that your father provide my little ... family ... with ammunition, food, medical supplies ...  
  
things such as that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm at war, Ms. Bartlet... These are things I need... I'm fighting my own government, so as you can see ... they would be of little help to me," he replied. "But, with you and your ... active mother in my pocket... I seem to have a bargaining chip."  
  
"And if he doesn't give you what you want?"  
  
"Well, then... Every one of you will die," the man said. "Except, of course, Mrs. Bartlet... I have something else very special in mind for a woman so active and so ... young at heart."  
  
Jennifer felt the dread and the terror if their situation fill her heart as the big man and the others walked out of the room.  
  
** Hours later, the door opened and the big man walked into the basement once again. Jennifer held her mother tighter as he made his way over to them. Jennifer could sense Tim tightening up, willing to do anything but not permitted to.  
  
The man walked over at sat next to Abbey, "Tell me, Mrs. Bartlet ... what is it like to share the bed of the President of the United States?"  
  
Abbey kept her gaze fixed on the head of her daughter. Jennifer clung to her mother even tighter. Tim tried to lean into the two of them ... if by some chance his presence could protect them from this other man and his group of rebels.  
  
"We all know that your sons are a little over a year old..." the big man continued. "How sweet for you... And that brings up some interesting questions in my mind. So, let us address them... You are how old?"  
  
Abbey remained silent, she seemed to be ignoring the big man.  
  
The man reached down and grabbed her arm, "I said, how old are you?"  
  
"Fifty-four," Abbey hissed through clenched teeth.  
  
"Fifty-four," the man repeated, releasing her arm. "Well, well... I imagine that you and your husband are rather ... how should I put this?... Active."  
  
The people gathered in the room lowered their eyes. Every one of them hurt for the First Lady who sat so stoically... They were all embarrassed that they were being made witness to this intrusive line of questioning.  
  
"In fact," the man continued. "I'd be willing to bet that you and your husband had a very ... touching, if you will, goodbye before you left to grace us all with your presence... Is that right?"  
  
Once again, Abbey sat without a word.  
  
And once again, the man grabbed her arm. But this time he grabbed it roughly ... and kept a painful grip on her arm until she answered.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He laughed as he shoved her arm away. He rose without another word and, still laughing, walked out the door.  
  
** The senior staff gathered in the Oval Office, all were anxious for information. And, so far, it hadn't been forthcoming. A fact that was playing havoc with the emotions of every soul in the room.  
  
Josh stood behind the couch, tapping on the back of it nervously. CJ sat on the couch, looking around the room trying to find something to study ... anything to keep her occupied. Sam typed furiously at his laptop, using his work to keep his mind off what was unfolding around him.  
  
Leo sat in a chair, flipping through what information they had... But he had long since finished reading it ... now he was simply ... flipping through the pages.  
  
Toby stood, much as he had when Jennifer arrived to become her mother's Chief of Staff... He hadn't said much after his President had told him of the ... situation.  
  
In the midst of all this was Jed... He sat in his chair, staring stonily out into space. He hadn't said two words since his staff had congregated in his office... There was nothing to say until he knew the fate of his wife and daughter...  
  
Everyone's head turned when the door opened and Ron Butterfield walked into the room, "We have contact, sir. The leader wishes to speak with you."  
  
Jed nodded and the phone was set on speaker, "Hello, this is President Bartlet. To whom am I speaking?"  
  
"You may call me, El Lobo Mr. President," the man on the other end said.  
  
"Well... El Lobe... I believe you and I have a great deal to talk about," Jed replied.  
  
"Indeed," El Lobo said. "I was just talking to your lovely wife about you ... we had an, how should I say this ... interesting conversation."  
  
"Then I take it, the First Lady is alive..."  
  
"Oh, yes ... she's just fine ... just fine indeed..." the man trailed off.  
  
Jed shot Leo a piercing glance. Leo shook his head, knowing full well the chills that were going up his friend's back ... they had been shooting up his since this man had mentioned Abbey.  
  
"And her Chief of Staff?"  
  
Toby's eyes nailed Jed's.  
  
"Ah, the little spitfire is alive and well... A plucky little thing, I might add..." the man trailed off. "However, Mrs. Bartlet is something of an enigma... She had some interesting responses when I questioned her about you... I'm going to enjoy having the opportunity to ... get to know her better..."  
  
"I swear to you ... if you lay one hand on my wife, I'll kill you myself you son- of-a-bit-"  
  
"Now, now Mr. President... I wouldn't want to have to take out my anger with you on your beautiful wife-"  
  
"Goddamn you-"  
  
Leo saw Jed's face turn red, he knew that his friend had lost all reasoning power ... this was going to go down hill very quickly. He motioned for Butterfield to sever the phone connection. Leo throw protocol out the door and jerked his oldest friend out the nearest door.  
  
"Dammit Leo, who the hell do you think you are?" Jed roared.  
  
"I'm your Chief of Staff and I'm stopping you from making this worse, Jed." Leo hissed. "He's baiting you and he knows it... And you're falling for it and he knows it... This man has the biggest bargaining chip in the world, he has your daughter and he has your wife... Every one in the world knows how much you and Abbey love each other ... and he's using that love ... that bond against you..."  
  
"What the hell am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Stop acting like a father and a husband and act like the President." Leo said with force.  
  
"That's easy for you to say, that's not your daughter ... that's not your wife he's talking about!" Jed fumed.  
  
"No ... but that's my goddaughter and my good friend he's talking about." Leo said quietly. "And there's a little girl in my office who needs her mother... There's a man in your office who needs the woman he loves ... there are two little boys in the residence that need their mother ... and there's a man standing in front of me that needs his wife... But we're going to loose them if you loose sight of the fact that you're the President first right now... You give him all the chips if you're anything but the President."  
  
Jed closed his eyes, "Yeah... I know... Okay..." he opened his eyes. "I'm sorry Leo..."  
  
Leo nodded, "I know."  
  
"I'm going for a walk." Jed sighed as he walked off in the direction of the residence.  
  
Leo watched him for a moment and then turned into his own office. Inside he smiled slightly when he saw Margaret and Marrah coloring at his desk... He didn't know what he'd do without Margaret ... she made him crazy so much of the time, but he'd be lost without her around.  
  
"And what are you ladies doing at my desk?" he said cheerily as he walked in.  
  
They both looked up and smiled. Marrah grinned at him, "Margaret is coloring with me!"  
  
"Is that a fact?" Leo said, walking over to his desk. He looked at the papers that were spread out on his desk, "Yes, Margaret is coloring with you."  
  
"Can we finish, please?" Marrah begged.  
  
"Of course you can." Leo replied.  
  
Margaret looked up at the man standing beside her. She saw the anger and the sadness in his eyes at once. Acting on instinct and impulse, she reached up and took his hand.  
  
Leo looked down with surprise when he felt Margaret's hand take his. Then, he nodded at her and held it tightly as he watched Marrah color.  
  
**  
  
Jed walked into the nursery where his boys were sleeping. He smiled down at them as he fixed their blankets and smoothed their hair. Jed walked over to the rocking chair and sank into it... He needed the peaceful quiet of this room right now.  
  
Leo was right... He couldn't think like a father and husband right now. His family was the source of his greatest strength ... but it was also his greatest weakness too. And it was being exploited...  
  
He had to be the President right now... Somehow ... somehow he was going to have to find the way out of this and bring his daughter home to Marrah and Toby... And bring Abbey home to their sons ... and too him. ~~~ Jed walked into the Oval Office briskly. He motioned Ron Butterfield into the room, "Okay, let's find out what this bastard wants..."  
  
"Yes, sir." Butterfield said, setting up the connection once again.  
  
Jed's staff watched him with apprehensive eyes. Jed glanced around, "Where's Leo?"  
  
"With Margaret and Marrah," Josh replied.  
  
"Where's Toby?"  
  
This time CJ responded, "He went to his office to try and do something ... he couldn't just wait..."  
  
Jed nodded, he felt exactly the same way. He looked up when Butterfield nodded to him, "Hello?"  
  
"Ah, hello Mr. President." El Lobo replied. "In a better frame of mind, I trust?"  
  
"Yes, I am," Jed replied. "I... apologize for my outburst earlier."  
  
"Ah, no offense taken," Lobo responded. "I would be just as excitable if someone where speaking to my wife about our bedroom affairs..."  
  
Jed choked back the anger that bubbled up from within him, "Indeed... Now, I assume there is something you want from me..." Jed looked up as Leo guided Margaret into the room. In Margaret's arms was a sleeping Marrah.  
  
"Yes, there is something you could be of assistance to me for," Lobo replied, his voice changing from the elegantly smooth tone to a granite hard voice, "I want the following; guns, ammunition, nonperishable food supplies, medical supplies, blankets, and tents. I want enough to supple two hundred men for  
  
the next ten years."  
  
"El Lobo-"  
  
"I'm not done," Lobo interrupted. "I want all these things and a helicopter delivered to the Embassy and I want them here in ten hours."  
  
"I'm not sure that's enough time to-"  
  
"It's plenty of time!" the man roared at him. "I know exactly how long it will take you to meet my demands and I added some time in there too. You have a nice large cushion."  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"If you don't then seventeen people, including your daughter will die." Lobo said. "In the meantime, I believe I'll go get aquatinted with that lovely wife of yours ... we'll see if that can speed your actions..."  
  
Jed's face drained of all color as El Lobo slammed down the phone... He closed his eyes... Please God ... please not Abbey ... please not Abbey, he prayed.  
  
CJ bit her lip, horrified and terrified at the future she saw for her two friends. Josh looked over at her with pain filled eyes. Sam looked around the room, not sure at all what he should do... After a moment, he rose and made his way to Toby's office.  
  
Margaret looked up at Leo, Marrah still sleeping in her arms. Leo placed his arm around her back in support and allowed her to lean into him.  
  
Mrs. Landingham stared into the room from the doorway along with Donna and Patrick.  
  
Jed opened his eyes and sighed. He nodded his head, "Okay ... let's figure out how to get them home safe... Someone get Toby..."  
  
"Sam went to get him," Mrs. Landingham said from the doorway.  
  
"Okay ... let's get to work," Jed said. "I want options and I want them now."  
  
** Margaret stood in the middle of Leo's office. She had been standing there for a good fifteen minutes, but she couldn't find the strength to put one foot in front of the other...  
  
She was frightened for her friend... Jennifer had become a great friend in the time she'd been there... And Margaret was terrified of loosing that friend... She was scared for Marrah and Toby ... she knew how much they loved Jennifer...  
  
And the President... He adored his daughter...  
  
And he adored his wife... The things that man, El Lobo, had said over the phone still haunted Margaret... She knew they scared the hell out of everyone in the room.  
  
Especially the President... He had looked like he could have broken down into sobs at any moment...  
  
"Margaret?" a voice sounded. "Margaret?"  
  
Margaret jumped when she felt a hand touch her arm, "Huh?"  
  
Leo looked at her with deep concern, "Are you all right? I've been calling your name for five minutes..."  
  
Margaret nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine Leo."  
  
Leo tilted his head, "Don't tie to me Margaret."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I know you better than that." Leo responded. "You wouldn't stand in the middle of my office like this unless you were upset... Would you like to talk about it?"  
  
Margaret looked at him in surprise, "Oh, Leo... No ... thanks, I know you're busy. I'll be fine."  
  
She moved to walk away, but Leo caught her by the arm, "Listen Margaret, Zoey's in with the President... Everyone in the West Wing is trying to come up with a plan. And at the moment, you are more important to me than a planning session that I have no control over."  
  
Leo guided her to the sofa, "Now, come on. Sit down and talk to me... I promise to stay with you and listen."  
  
Margaret smiled slightly as she sat down beside him. ~~~ Zoey sat in the nursery of her little brothers... Both boys were playing nearby.  
  
She sat quietly as she watched them...  
  
She tried to work through the information her father had told her...  
  
Her mother and her sister ... their lives were at risk ... they could die...  
  
Her mother and her sister...  
  
She felt her eyes well up as Chase and Matthew toddled over to her. She took them into her arms as she felt her tears begin to run down her face.  
  
**  
  
Jennifer sat in her mother's arms on the floor of the damp, dark basement. Abbey held her daughter to her as she waited for the door to open any moment.  
  
Tim sat right next to them... He hated not being able to protect them... He wasn't trained to sit back ... he was trained to react...  
  
The other hostages seemed to gravitate towards the First Lady and Daughter... They all seemed to draw comfort from one another in this terrifying situation.  
  
Suddenly the door swung open and the man called, El Lobo walked in... He walked over to the huddled mass of people on the floor. His gaze racked over Abbey and she felt her muscles tighten on instinct.  
  
"Well... Mrs. Bartlet..." he began. "It seems that I have some free time... Perhaps you could help me to fill it... You and I can discuss the finer ... points of your husband's presidency ... among other things..."  
  
Abbey tried to regulate her breathing as El Lobo walked towards her. She fought to keep her reaction neutral with her daughter in her arms.  
  
Just as El Lobo reached out to take her by the arm, Jennifer jumped up.  
  
"If you wanna pass the time ... you and I should do the talking."  
  
Both Abbey and El Lobo looked at her in surprise. The others in the room held in their breath. Tim, knowing full well what was on her mind, felt his heart almost stop in alarm.  
  
"Well, well..." El Lobo muttered. "Why would I want to talk to you ... instead of your mother?"  
  
Jennifer ignored the sick feeling in her stomach as well as the horrified look on her mother's face, "You seem to know a lot about my family... Surely you've heard about the black sheep of the Bartlet family ... the wild one..."  
  
El Lobo looked Jennifer up and down, impressed by the fearlessness in her eyes and in her voice... She was a spitfire this one... He nodded his head ... yes, she would be a fine substitute for her mother.  
  
Jennifer locked eyes with her mother as El Lobo took her by the arms and led her out of the basement. Abbey sat, stunned, watching her daughter go with this madman.  
  
Jennifer sent a silent prayer to God to see her through what would happen to her in the next few hours... She was frightened ... but she would never have forgiven herself if she had let this man take her mother... She hoped to God that she'd be able to live with herself after this day...  
  
** Abbey sat frozen in place as the minutes faded into an hour... Why had Jennifer done that?... Her baby had gone with that man in her place... Abbey looked over to Tim. The agent was watching the door ... he hadn't taken his eyes off it since Jennifer had been led away.  
  
Finally, the door swung open and Jennifer stumbled into the room. Abbey felt all the air leave her body when she saw her daughter's face.  
  
Jennifer stumbled into the room with all the balance of a new born colt. A man from the group reached out to steady her and she immediately shrunk away from his touch. The man looked over at Abbey, plainly worried by the First Daughter's reaction.  
  
Abbey turned to Tim. She looked at him pleadingly ... she couldn't find her voice.  
  
Tim nodded, "Jennifer?"  
  
Jennifer turned in the direction of the voice... Her unsteady gaze fell upon Tim and Abbey. She slowly made her way over to them. Abbey reached out for her and Jennifer fell into her mother's arms.  
  
Abbey fell back into Tim. The agent winced at the pain from his arm, but said nothing. His focus was on the young woman shivering in her mother's arms. He tried to look her in the eye, but Jennifer avoided his glance.  
  
Abbey shared an anxiety ridden glance with the man who would have gladly given his life to have prevented this ... this ... thing from happening to her daughter.  
  
Abbey choked back tears as she held her little girl tightly... 'Please hurry Jed ... please...' she thought.  
  
** Inside the Oval Office Jed sat, watching the reactions of those around him... Ron Butterfield had outlined the plan... And Jed was listening to his senior staff debate among themselves.  
  
"What kind of plan is this?" Josh exclaimed. "It sucks! There's like a two percent chance it'll work!"  
  
"Josh..." CJ murmured.  
  
"No! Don't 'Josh' me!" he exclaimed. "This is stupid and everyone in here knows it!"  
  
"Josh, would you calm down?" Leo growled.  
  
"No! I won't!" Josh responded.  
  
"Then why don't you trying shutting up?" Toby called from the corner.  
  
Everyone turned to face the man that had been silent through most of this entire ordeal, "Yeah, the plan sucks... But it's the only plan we have at the moment and that makes it look pretty damn good to me." Toby took a deep breath, "If we don't ... they will die... This is our only choice... We have no choice."  
  
Jed nodded from his chair, "You're right Toby." He looked over at Ron Butterfield, "Do it." ~~ Abbey sat with Jennifer wrapped up in her arms. Her daughter hadn't said a word since she entered the room several hours before ... and she wouldn't look anyone in the face... Two signs that chipped away at Abbey's heart.  
  
But there was nothing she could do but hold her little girl and pray that Jed would do something soon.  
  
Abbey looked up at the door opened and El Lobo stepped in. Abbey sensed Tim straining against his injuries and his handcuffs... This man who was trained to protect her daughter was having a hard time watching as Jennifer whimpered in her mother's arms.  
  
"I have some ... bad news for some of you." El Lobo began. "The time limit has come and gone ... and my demands have not been met. Therefore, one you will die." He said, walking around the room. "It won't be the little First Family and their faithful bodyguard over there ... not yet, at least... So, how about.... You."  
  
El Lobo pointed his gun at a young man sitting on the ground, not far from Abbey and Jennifer. The young man simply looked at El Lobo as the big man aimed the gun.  
  
Abbey held Jennifer closer to her, shutting out her daughter's view.  
  
Tim tried to move closer to the two women.  
  
The others in the room hid their eyes and huddled together.  
  
It was then that the Embassy basement rocked from the impact of another explosion...  
  
** Abbey sat in a limousine, as it sped towards the White House... In her lap, Jennifer was sleeping. Abbey sighed as she stroked her daughter's head. After the bombs went off, the shooting had started. Somehow, Tim had managed to cover them with his own body.  
  
When the shooting had stopped, men in helmets had dug out the hostages and carried them to safety. They had been put on a plane and hurried back to Washington...  
  
Through all of this, Jennifer hadn't said one word. She had clung to her mother and to Tim... Whenever another man approached, every muscle in Jennifer's body would tense up ... and she wouldn't relax until that man went away.  
  
When they had arrived in Washington, Tim had been transported to the hospital... Extracting Jennifer's hand from his arm had been an ordeal for her mother. Tim had tried to stay with them, anything to rid Jennifer's eyes of their frightened look, but Abbey had made him go.  
  
An agent turned to Abbey as she looked down at Jennifer, "Mrs. Bartlet?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We're here."  
  
"Thank you," Abbey said quietly as the car turned into the White House driveway. "Jennifer?"  
  
Her daughter barely stirred.  
  
"Jennifer," Abbey repeated, shaking her daughter gently. Jennifer's eyes flew open and Abbey put a calm hand on her cheek, "We're home, Munchkin ... we're home."  
  
Jennifer looked up at her and nodded.  
  
Abbey sighed, "Babygirl, there are going to be men around when we get out of this car." Abbey began to stroke her daughter's hair when she saw the frightened look leap into the young woman's eyes. "It's okay... None of them are going to hurt you... You Dad, Uncle Leo, Josh, Sam... Toby... None of them are going to hurt you. They love you and they love me. Okay?"  
  
Jennifer looked at her mother with complete and total trust. She nodded her head and Abbey smiled down at her as the car came to a stop. Someone opened the door and Abbey motioned for Jennifer to sit up.  
  
Abbey scooted out of the car and then reached for her daughter. Jennifer held out her hands and eased out of the car. Immediately, Jennifer clung to her mother's arms. Abbey held her close, "It's all right ... nothing here is going to hurt you." ~~~ From the hallway inside, Jed and the senior staff watched as Abbey and Jennifer got out of the car. They were all dumbstruck by Jennifer's appearance and her manner.  
  
"My God..." Leo breathed.  
  
Abbey had Jennifer in her arms and the young woman was clinging to her mother for her life. They walked into the hallway and Abbey immediately sought out her husband's eyes. Husband and wife shared a lifetime's worth on communication in that short moment...  
  
Jed approached them cautiously, not wanting to scare his daughter, "Jennifer?"  
  
Jennifer's body tensed up the moment she heard the male voice. Abbey shot him a warning glance.  
  
Jed nodded his head, "Munchkin, it's Daddy."  
  
Jennifer's head shot up... Daddy...  
  
"Daddy?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes, baby." Jed said, just as softly. "It's Daddy."  
  
Jennifer looked up at him and Jed had to fight not to wince at the haunted look in the eyes of his girl. Jennifer let go of her mother and took a step towards her father.  
  
At that moment, Jennifer's eyes rolled back into her eyes and she collapsed into her father's arms.  
  
Those around her sprung into action.  
  
"Take her upstairs," Abbey commanded. At once the small group began to hurry towards the residence.  
  
"Can I do anything?" Josh asked quickly.  
  
"Help my husband," Abbey replied. "Leo, get a wet washrag and have it ready in my bedroom."  
  
"Where are we taking her, Abbey?" Jed demanded.  
  
"Our bedroom."  
  
"What can I do?" CJ asked.  
  
"Get in the Press Room and calm them down, they all saw her faint." Leo commanded.  
  
"Sam, run ahead and get my bag out of my closet," came Abbey's voice.  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
Standing in a doorway, watching all of this was Toby. He felt his entire body shut down as Jennifer was carried away... He fought to keep his breathing normal as CJ passed him.  
  
She paused for a moment, "You okay?"  
  
Toby looked at her without making a sound.  
  
CJ started to say something, thought better of it and continued down the hall.  
  
Toby waited a moment... Then, taking a deep breath, he turned and walked back down the hallway to his own office.  
  
** Jed stood quietly in the doorway of Jennifer's room and watched as his wife checked over her with the practiced eye of a doctor... He, in turn, checked over her with the practiced eye of knowing her for thirty-five years... She wasn't moving right... And if he were a betting man, he would bet his presidency that Abbey had been injured but had yet to give her injuries much thought.  
  
'Very well, if she wants to ignore them for a while longer that's fine,' Jed thought to himself. 'I'll bust her for it later when she figures out she's really hurt.'  
  
Abbey brushed her daughter's hair out of her face as she watched Jennifer sleep, "She's going to be okay, Jed."  
  
"Mentally or physically?"  
  
"Physically..." Abbey trailed off. "She fainted from stress ... and from the emotional toll this has taken on her."  
  
"What happened to her Abbey?"  
  
Abbey shook her head, "I don't know... He wanted ... he wanted to take me... Jennifer made him take her instead."  
  
"You mean?" Jed questioned, stunned.  
  
"She went in my place, Jed."  
  
'My God, no wonder Abbey hasn't taken care of herself.' Jed thought to himself. He shook his head, "This is not your fault, Abbey."  
  
Abbey didn't respond right away. After a moment she took a breath, "Is he dead?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Abbey nodded, "Good."  
  
"Come on, Abbey." Jed said quietly.  
  
Abbey nodded and, after kissing her daughter's forehead, walked toward her husband. As she did, Jed noticed her limp and pursed his lips. Abbey recognized the look on his face right away, "Shut up," she warned.  
  
"I didn't say anything Abigail."  
  
"You were going to." Abbey replied.  
  
"You know I'm right." Jed said as they walked back to their bedroom.  
  
"Whatever," Abbey replied as they walked into their bedroom. The moment she walked in, she made a beeline for the bed and fell, face first, onto it.  
  
Jed shut the door behind them and locked it. He looked back at his wife. She had yet to move from the place where she had fallen on the bed. He sighed as he walked over to the bed and laid down beside her.  
  
"I was scared Jed..."  
  
"I know."  
  
"He scared me... I was scared he would ... that he might..." Abbey's words became weary as she spoke.  
  
Jed reached out and lifted her off the bed. He carried her into the bathroom. He sat her down on a bench and then retrieved to pairs of sweat pants and two t-shirts. He walked over to her and helped her remove her shirt. His eyes narrowed when he saw the ugly bruises and cuts that colored her back and arms.  
  
Abbey saw the way he looked at her, "Please don't Jed..."  
  
Instead of answering, Jed pulled the t-shirt over Abbey's head and then helped her take off her skirt. He paused for a moment to examine her swollen knee, and then helped her put on the sweat pants.  
  
Abbey waited quietly as Jed changed his own clothes. She looked up at him and the emotional toll that she's endured for the past day came crashing down around her.  
  
Jed saw her eyes well with tears and he had her in his arms in an instant. He brushed the tears off the cheeks, "You're safe now, Abbey... It's just you and me ... you're safe."  
  
Abbey nodded as the tears flowed down her face faster. Jed lifted her up off the bench and carried her to their bed. He helped her crawl under the covers and then crawled under them himself.  
  
Abbey let the strain and the terror of the past twenty-four hours drain out of her as she cried in her husband's strong embrace.  
  
** Toby walked through the quiet halls of the White House residence late that night. He passed by Marrah's room and quietly opened the door and peaked in.  
  
The little girl was sound asleep, completely unaware of the turmoil that had taken place earlier in the evening. Toby started to close the door, but something caught his eye...  
  
He walked farther into the room to get a better view... On the floor, by Marrah's bed was the little princess bear Toby had given her for her fourth birthday... It was the very first gift he had ever given the little girl.  
  
Toby lifted it from where it had fallen on the ground and placed it back into the arms of the little girl he had grown to adore... However reluctantly at first.  
  
He tucked the covers up around her body and then turned and walked out of her room, closing the door behind him. Toby walked a little further down the hallway and quietly opened another door.  
  
He stuck his head in the doorway and looked into the room... There, asleep in her bed, was Jennifer. Toby opened the door the rest of the way and walked all the way into the room. He shut the door very softly and walked over to Jennifer's bed.  
  
Toby sat down on the bed beside her, "Hey Bartlet ... it's me. I know I should have been here earlier... But I didn't think it was a good idea... I um... Marrah doesn't know you're back yet... I'll tell her tomorrow when I take her to school... I'll tell her you're sick, if that's okay with you." Toby paused, wishing Jennifer would respond. "You scared me, you know that?... I think you did this on purpose just to make me insane... I um... I love you Jennifer ... okay? So... I guess that means that I'm stuck with you ... and you're stuck with me..."  
  
Toby reached out and stroked her hair, "I'm gonna lay here beside you for a while, Jennifer. I'll leave before you wake up... But I'm here tonight and I'll stay here just in case."  
  
Toby removed his shoes and carefully laid down beside her. Gently, he put one arm around her. Then, to his surprise, Jennifer rolled over into his arms. She buried her face in his chest without a word ... without waking.  
  
Toby wrapped both arms around her and held her through the night.  
  
The End 


End file.
